modding Meade Polaris 130MD & Spotter Scope 20-60x60

[mark117h]

Hi guys,

Been in to Astronomy / Astrophotography for a good deal of my life.

That said with life generally getting in the way with ups and downs, I now find myself in a position where i can really start to get into Astronomy again.

What i was querying is that i have a red dot view finder on my Meade Polaris 130MD, What i was wondering is in the images i have uploaded i have a 20-60x60 spotters scope,

Can anybody give me some of your advice and wisdom as to how i could use or if possible utilise it on the ring behind my viewfinder, i ask as i have no battery and like a numpty i left it on to die,

Forgot to also mention that i use the scope on a EQ2 mount if that helps, I like to try and get some shots of the moon with my D5300, it does enough for what I'm happy with.

Any help and information will be greatly received.

Cheers Mark.

 

[mark117h]

Forgot to mention about the ring behind the focuser, could i attach the spotter scope to the 1st ring and use this as a spotter over the red dot view finder until i get a cr32 battery, or would this not work correctly, sure i read on here somewhere that the view finders have to be at the side of the focuser like the red dot view finder, not 100% though and would appreciate any help on this.

Cheers mark

[Cornelius Varley]

The spotter scope should fit onto the the front ring using the tripod thread on the base of it except you will have no way of adjusting the alignment of the spotter.

[bobro]

19 hours ago, mark117h said:

I like to try and get some shots of the moon with my D5300

Like yourself, I have a Meade Polaris 130MD. Although the scope has a screw thread for camera attachment, it won't come to focus with a DSLR as this type of camera has a large flange to focal plane distance, requiring the focusser to move inwards for focus. The focusser won't be able to move inwards sufficiently. To achieve focus with my Canon 1000D I cut 40mm off the scope at the mirror end. This moves the focus point 40mm towards the camera, allowing the focusser to achieve focus. Seems drastic I know.

[mark117h]

On 10/02/2017 at 10:11, Cornelius Varley said:

The spotter scope should fit onto the the front ring using the tripod thread on the base of it except you will have no way of adjusting the alignment of the spotter.

Hi Cornelius Varley.

I did try attaching the scope to the ring but soon noticed the problem of alignment issues arising from this, the scope was also feeling pretty looseish at times, I would have to align all the time as well as each time I moved the scope it would move, really appreciate the response, I think I'll try and root out a cr32 battery though off an old mobo lol ?. 

On 10/02/2017 at 11:49, bobro said:

Like yourself, I have a Meade Polaris 130MD. Although the scope has a screw thread for camera attachment, it won't come to focus with a DSLR as this type of camera has a large flange to focal plane distance, requiring the focusser to move inwards for focus. The focusser won't be able to move inwards sufficiently. To achieve focus with my Canon 1000D I cut 40mm off the scope at the mirror end. This moves the focus point 40mm towards the camera, allowing the focusser to achieve focus. Seems drastic I know.

Hi bobro. 

Really appreciate the response, and from a fellow 130MD owner, I understand what you are saying about the focusing issues and attaching a NIKON to the screw thread on the focuser, I too noticed that it was having issues, at first I got round it using the T-ring and x2 basic Barlow which did zoom it some but I was able to achieve focus this way, I have also read about cutting XX amount off the scope, but I have decided to leave that for now. 

In the end, the best way I could get focus was by using my newest Celestron x2 Barlow with screw thread "Really Good" I could break down this newer Barlow so I unscrewed the threaded lens on the end and used the lens end from the Celestron Barlow to attach to the end of my NIKON T-Ring which has threads as well, 

To my surprise the result I got when I inserted the modded t-ring with the Barlow attached was quite encouraging for weather permitting some hopefully brilliant Moon ? and Astro images some time soon. 

Thanks for your help and advice.

Cheers ? mark. 

[bobro]

Glad you found a solution using a Barlow. I didn't go for this as my interest is deep sky imaging and so didn't want the increased exposure time and guiding difficulties the Barlow would bring. Although I use my webcam for guiding, I did test it out by imaging the Moon using the Meade 130 - with and without a Barlow. Images below for info.

 

[mark117h]

4 hours ago, bobro said:

Glad you found a solution using a Barlow. I didn't go for this as my interest is deep sky imaging and so didn't want the increased exposure time and guiding difficulties the Barlow would bring. Although I use my webcam for guiding, I did test it out by imaging the Moon using the Meade 130 - with and without a Barlow. Images below for info.

 

Crikey, bobro, 

They are some really decent and good shots there mate.